The Apprentice
by KJ5
Summary: Sequel to "Turnabout". Connor gets a job offer. Feedback is always welcome.


Lindsey leaned back in his chair and surveyed his surroundings. It took a long time and a lot of hard work and sacrifice, but I finally made it, he thought proudly. Here I am, the new CEO of Wolfram and Hart's Los Angeles branch, courtesy of Angel and his stupid plan to take down the Senior Partners.  
  
Lindsey felt a momentary spurt of anger when he remembered how Angel had tricked him into joining the fight with lies and false promises. He didn't count on Holland Manners anticipating the worst and arranging for an ambulance to be on hand, Lindsey thought. Or that we'd resurrect him using the same spell we used to bring Darla back. I hope he's enjoying his stay in our new dungeon. Serves him right for double-crossing me. I was straight with him; he should have been straight with me. Lindsey's gloating was cut short by the intercom.  
  
"What is it, Lilah?" he said.  
  
"Sorry to interrupt you . . . boss, but your three o'clock is here," Lilah Morgan said.  
  
"Be a good girl and show him in, honey," Lindsey said with a chuckle. One of the perks of the job is that you get to choose your assistant, he thought happily. Time to make her pay for that 'stumpy' crack. "After we're done, you can come in and give me a foot massage."  
  
"Sure, boss," Lilah said, fighting to keep the peevishness out of her voice.  
  
It's good to be king, Lindsey thought.  
  
A young man entered the room. He seemed a little nervous and bewildered.  
  
Lindsey greeted his guest. "It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Connor," he said. "Welcome to Wolfram and Hart."  
  
"Hi. I'm not really sure why I'm here," Connor said.  
  
"I'll explain everything," Lindsey promised. "Meantime, relax, enjoy the view."  
  
Connor glanced around the office, spotting a familiar looking head mounted on the wall, he did a near-comical double take. "That looks like . . Lorne," he said.  
  
"It is," Lindsey said grimly.  
  
"Cool," Connor said. "What's he doing up there?"  
  
Lindsey gave Connor a nasty smile. "Just call him a souvenir, something I keep around to remind me of why I'm here," he said.  
  
"Why?" Connor asked. "What did he ever do to you?"  
  
"This is why I had that green SOB hunted down and hung on the wall!" Lindsey said, ripping open his shirt to reveal two livid scars. "These are from the bullets he pumped into me the night of the massacre!"  
  
"Lorne did that?" Connor said. "You mean that pansy-assed demon had the cojones to shoot you?"  
  
"You're damn right he did. He tricked me and betrayed me, and he skipped out on the final battle in the alley too. I'm not saying he could have made the difference, but maybe, just maybe, thing might have turned out differently if he'd been there, or if I'd been there," Lindsey said.  
  
Connor looked stricken at the mention of his father.  
  
Lindsey's eyes burned with rage as he continued his story. "I'll be straight with you. Your father and me, well, let's just say we had our differences over the years, but in the end we were on the same side. When he asked me to help him with his fight I joined him without hesitation. I risked my life to take out a nest of demons, and as soon as I was done, Lorne SHOT me! He shot me and left me to die on the floor like some piece of trash. You're damn right I'm angry. Trusting Lorne was the biggest mistake of my life."  
  
Connor nodded. "Yeah, I never trusted him either. I never bought his 'I'm a harmless singing demon act.' I would've killed him but Dad wouldn't let me," he said.  
  
"You're smarter than me, kid," Lindsey said ruefully.  
  
"Hey, I did grow up in Quartoth," Connor said. "How did you survive?"  
  
Lindsey gave Connor an edited version of events.  
  
Connor's eyes narrowed. "Interesting story," he said suspiciously.  
  
"You don't believe me," Lindsey said. "I get the feeling you think Angel ordered Lorne to shoot me for some reason."  
  
Nonplused, Connor groped for a reply. Before he could speak, Lindsey said, "Come on, this is Angel we're talking about. Do you really think he'd have a flunky ambush me after I joined his team? Would he do anything that cowardly? One thing you could always count on is that Angel always played fair." Unless you're Lindsey McDonald, he thought bitterly.  
  
Connor hesitated a moment before replaying "I, I guess not. You're right, I just can't see him doing anything like that."  
  
Lindsey studied Connor carefully. I almost have him, he thought gleefully. Like a fish on a hook, I'll reel him in slowly. We'll corrupt him so gradually he'll never realize what's happening. One day he'll find himself doing the bidding of the Senior Partner's nastiest clients and he'll have no idea how it all came to this.  
  
"Let me tell you about the benefits you can expect to receive if you join the Wolfram and Hart family. If you come to work for Wolfram and Hart we'll take excellent care of you. We'll cover your entire educational costs, including books, tuition, dorm fees and a generous allowance for living expenses. You can work in our office during the summer break at a starting salary of $20.00 per hour," Lindsey said.  
  
Connor's eyes widened. "Twenty bucks an hour for a summer job?"  
  
Lindsey laughed. "Beats flipping burgers or waiting tables, doesn't it?"  
  
"Sure does," Connor said happily. "What about my girlfriend? We were planning to work together this summer."  
  
"Don't worry, Wolfram and Hart is a big place. I'm sure Human Resources can find an appropriate place for her," Lindsey said, mildly amused by the revelation that Connor had a romantic side. I gotta keep that in mind, it might be useful some day, he thought.  
  
Still slightly suspicious, Connor asked Lindsey one final question. "Why are you doing this for me? You don't know me, you don't owe me anything."  
  
Lindsey looked into Connor's eyes. "Because I know this is what your father would have wanted. If it weren't for Angel, I wouldn't be here today. It's fair to say he helped to make me the man I am today. I think it's only right that I do the same thing for you," he said with perfect sincerity.  
  
Connor flushed. Not knowing quite how to respond, he gave Lindsey an embarrassed smile and said "I just wish Dad could know how much you're doing for me."  
  
"Maybe in some way, he does," Lindsey said. I've got him! he thought triumphantly. "So, do we have a deal?" Lindsey asked, holding out his hand.  
  
Connor grinned as he shook Lindsey's hand. "Yeah, we do."  
  
Lindsey pressed the intercom. "Lilah, bring the contract in now. Oh yeah, bring us some coffee too while you're at it, and don't forget to pick up my dry cleaning," he said, barely repressing a smirk.  
  
"Yes boss." Lilah sounded as if she were speaking through clenched teeth.  
  
Lindsey smiled inwardly. Serves you right for all those hobbit jokes. I'm not that short, he thought.  
  
Far below, in Wolfram and Hart's 'special projects room', Holland Manners smiled at Angel. "Look Angel," he said, pointing at the TV monitor outside of Angel's cell. "Your son just signed a contract with Wolfram and Hart, complete with the standard Perpetuity Clause. The son of two vampires, what potential the boy has! With the right handling, he could even make Senior Partner some day."  
  
Screaming with rage, Angel launched himself at the bars of his cell. Holland chuckled.  
  
The End. 


End file.
